Ethereal
by ExGuard123
Summary: <html><head></head>"I'm not slow see? You don't have to worry about me! Weiss, just because I don't exactly know to deal with people doesn't mean I don't know how to deal with monsters!" Weiss chuckled pitifully. What a load of crap. (AU where Ruby dies. Angst and some violence. WhiteRose.) REWRITTEN</html>
1. Part 1

**A/N**

**-Note- If I for anytime refer to this story as either a one-shot or two-shot, I'm wrong. I don't know what to call this now since it now has three chapters. Three-shot? I really don't know. Thanks! -Note-**

***UPDATE* Massive rewrite of the story. I kept the general plot and the section from the beginning, but I changed the bulk of the story and the ending which I thought was previously very rushed and lousy. I have beefed it up so much, it has now become a two shot. Second part is half done, probably upload that later tonight. Regardless, I hope this rewrite will be more … pleasing. Enjoy! *UPDATE***

**This is a two-shot based off of an artwork/AU created by medukarrrabu on tumblr. I don't want to get into too much detail about the AU since you'll understand anyways when you read the story. Any who, I was having some trouble thinking of a flowing way to transfer into the next chapter of Economy, so I just wrote this for some fun (and angst). I don't know why, but writing sad stuff makes me feel good. **

**Well, here you have it, Ethereal my first one-shot-to-become-two-shot-then-to-become-something-I-don't-know-what-to-call. Eh. Enjoy!**

====Ethereal====

_ "__Help her!" Screamed a white haired girl, bearing an expression so pale and so frightened she could almost be described as a ghoul. Her originally priceless and snow white clothes were painted with a merciless portrait of blood. But she paid no attention to the crimson slime that dripped from the hems of her skirt, for there was nothing more important than the situation at hand. Nothing._

_"__Miss I've done all I can. The Ursa cut much too deeply into her and she's already lost too much blood."_

_"__There has to be something else you can do!" _

_"__Well … my recommendation is for the team to prepare for the worst case scenario." _

_"__Worst case scenario? Are you mad? You're a doctor! Do something!"_

_"__I've already temporarily stemmed the bloody flow. I've casted her fractured bones. I've lessened her suffering and pain. It's all I CAN do. But I'm worried there is permanent organ damage that we cannot fix."_

_"__At least try!"_

_"__I'm sorry. I've been a doctor for twenty years and I know where this is goin-"_

_"__JUST PLEASE DO SOMETHING."_

_"__Miss, there's nothing more to be-"_

_"__PLEASE!"_

_The man hesitated, glancing at the operating table behind him. On it lay a young girl, surrounded by a crowd of men and women dressed like ghosts. Their bodies were clad in white cloth, with their hands stained red with blood. They hovered over the unconscious girl, passing glances, and discussing, but not one of them was helping. Not one. No one even tried. It was as if they really were ghosts, prepared to take the young girl with them to god knows where._

_"__Please…" _

_The man sighed. "There is something."_

_He gave a quick nod to one the ghosts. _

_"__What I'm about to do, will cause her extreme pain. It's ... not exactly allowed. But, right now, it is the only way I can think of to even have a remote chance to save her. Do you understand?"_

_"__Ex-extreme pain?" _

_"__Yes. Are you certain you want to go through with this?"_

_"__Will it save her?"_

_"__As of now, it's her only chance, as slim as it may be. But know this. If she doesn't not come back, she will suffer in her last moments. You have to be sure about this miss. I will not and cannot do anything until you tell me you are certain."_

_"__I-I-"_

_"__Ma'am, to do this, we need time, which is something we are on the verge of running out."_

_"__Can you do it without hurting her?"_

_"__Highly unlikely."_

_"__Um."_

_"__I need an answer now or it will be too late for anything."_

_The girl bit her nails, as her legs fought to keep her frail form from collapsing. Either extreme pain for a chance of life, or a peaceful but certain end. The decision was simple. She would not lose her. She would not lose her partner._

_"__D-Do it."_

_The Doctor instantly turned to the operating table, issuing a continual stream of commands to the ghosts who quickly set to work. They grabbed knives, plugged in wires, attached monitors, and prepared syringes. They scurried around like rats, hurriedly preparing for the procedure._

_"__Everything will be fine…" The girl mumbled to herself, watching nervously as she clutched tightly to the door frame to keep from falling. "We'll go back to Beacon perfectly fine. Nobody is going to die."_

_She looked down, seeing her own wounds secrete the ugly red ooze, but in the heat of the moment, she felt no pain, except in her beating heart. "She'll be alright. I'll be alright. Everything's alright."_

_Suddenly like a bolt of thunder, a massive scream tore through the entire hospital. The girl who previously lay unmoving on the operating table began to writhe in agony, frightening even the solemn ghosts around her. As the white figures scrambled to control the situation, the girl continued to move in erratic motions knocking over tools, pulling out wires and bumping into machinery. _

_"__Sedate her!" One of the ghosts shouted._

_Several needles plunged into the pale skin of the girl, injecting its juices in an attempt to quell the pain and stem the movements._

_Another scream pierced the white haired girl's ear and into her soul, who quickly covered them with her hands. "Oh no… please … I'm doing this to her. I'm the one who's making her scream. I let them do this to her. Oh god. She's suffering so much. But it's her only chance…" _

_Through her hands, the only noises she could hear were muffled commands of the doctor, the excruciating screams, and the constant … endless … beeping._

_Beepbeepbeepbeepbeep._

_"__Oh god… oh god."_

_She watched the doctors around the girl grow more and more frantic in their actions, as they forced the squirming girl beneath her to stay still. She watched with watery eyes as the doctors continued to plunge needles into the young girl's flesh, continued to cut the girl with their vicious scalpels, continued to offer quivering commands to each other._

_"__Please live. Oh god, please let her live through this."_

_Beepbeepbeepbeepbeep – beep – beep._

_"__She's going unconscious!" Screamed a doctor as the girl's eyes begin to flutter and close._

_Beep – beep –beep_

_"__Prepare the defibrillator!"_

_Beep .. beep_

_"__What… what's going on…" The white haired girl entire bloody began to shake, as she realized what was happening. "No…"_

_"__Her heart has stopped sir!"_

_"__Now!"_

_"__Clear!" A ghost shouted, sticking the two metal plates flat onto the chest of the silent girl, who jumped once. _

_"__Clear!" _

_The girl watched desperately for some change, but the monitor remained a single unwavering green line._

_ "__Clear!" _

_A flat green line._

_The ghosts backed away from the operating table. "That's three times. What now sir?" _

_One of them froze for a second, but gently placed his scalpel on a metal tray. "4:14 am, Thursday, fourth of April."_

_"__No…" The trembling girl ran up to the operating table, pushing past the white figures, who gave way without complaint. "NOOOOO!"_

_She cupped the unconscious girl's face, rubbing circles on her cold, hard cheeks. "Wake up! Please! Wake up!"_

_Nothing._

_"__NO!" She shook the girl's head madly, "WAKE UP YOU IDIOT! DON'T DO THIS TO ME!"_

_The ghosts stood around the two girls, hands by their sides, in utter silence. '_

_It didn't how much she shook her head, how much she screamed, the girl's eyes never opened, not even a small flutter to signify the possibility of life. _

_"__No." The white haired girl dipped her head down, touching her forehead to the other girl's hoping for some sort of reaction. Some sort of comforting warmth to console her, to tell her it was going to be alright. But all she found was cold lifeless skin._

_"__Wake up. Please. I can't lose you now."_

_But what good do words do, when the ears could not receive._

_Death had come, and his scythe had reaped. _

====Ethereal====

Three things lay in front of Weiss.

A Scythe.

A Cloak.

And a single red rose.

The odd items lay neatly discarded at the feet of a slab of stone. On its smooth surface, carved with bright white paint, was a name, a name Weiss would never forget. A name Weiss had called out to in greeting. A name Weiss had called out in irritation. A name Weiss had had the honour to call a partner for the past year. But nonetheless, A name Weiss would no longer be able to even think about without feeling a sharp pain in her small heart.

_Ruby Rose._

_Huntress, Sister, Teammate, Friend and a true Leader._

_July 2__nd__, 1999 – April 4__th__, 2014_

It was a dim red autumn afternoon, decaying leaves drifted around her in a swirl of chaos. A blood orange sun hung lazily above a field of stones and slabs. Weiss knelt, alone, and in silence. Having been unable to persuade the heiress to leave with them, Yang and Blake had already left hours ago. Yet, she still remained after all these hours. For the entire time, not a single word or sound came from her mouth. Nothing disturbed the deathly tranquillity. No stone dared to drop into the picturesque lake. No birds dared to sing their happy songs. Not even the winds dared to whistle through the trees.

Weiss had her eyes closed, her ponytail trailing behind her back and pooling onto the ground. Abandoning her former white skirt and jacket, she had worn a simple black dress. She never expected to ever have to wear such a foreboding dress in all her teenage life. Never has she even pondered the possibility of death. Her team was doing so well, accomplishing more missions than any other. The closest competitor was a mere ant compared to the recognition and reputation they have attained. But now, it has come to a screeching end. Team RWBY was no more.

Yes, their names will go down in history. Yes, their names will be on the tongues of mothers in ages to come. Yes, their names will be engraved on a plaque to be revered. Why wouldn't they be? But not for being _successful._ Not for _accomplishing _so much. But for _failing_. For being the first team in the history of Beacon Academy to _ever_ lose a teammate.

Weiss hands were placed gingerly on her lap, as she knelt beneath the stern face of her _former _partner's grave. She could feel the dry murky leaves around her pitter patter lightly onto her shoulders and lap. She slowly cracked her eye open, gazing into the endless skies and floating clouds above. How peaceful, how free… _How ironic. _

The most confident, loved and brave member of RWBY. Slain by the very thing, they had trained to kill.

Crescent Rose. The weapon which Ruby used to defend herself, to defend her team, to defend Weiss had now been reduced to a piece of scrap. A weapon which no one would ever wield again. On its side, multiple claw marks could be seen, illustrating the story of a long and terrifying fight. Weiss traced her finger along the deep etches and jags that outlined the wound. She could see the intricate working of metal and gears within Ruby's weapon, a result of years and years of work and perfection, only to become a piece of unsalvageable garbage.

_You could still be alive._

Weiss did not cry. She had had her fill of tears and sadness during the ceremony. It was a short and sweet memorial, just like Ruby. Team JNPR was there, Sun and Neptune was there, Ozpin was there, and team RWBY- team WBY now- of course attended. Everyone had something to say about Ruby, a loving memory or a heart-warming tale. But Weiss could only listen in solitary sadness for she had almost nothing to say. While everyone had befriended with Ruby, Weiss remained cold and distant. While others had chatted with Ruby, Weiss scolded her. While other students had invited Ruby to them, Weiss pushed her away.

And now? With Ruby in the ground. _Now_ she wishes to spend some time alone… to just talk. Something Weiss should've done for the past year. But she didn't know how to start. There was no way she could. Not naturally. She didn't even know if they were friends. They were simply teammates. Was this even normal for Weiss to just strike up small talk to a slab of rock?

"Um hello Ruby. I-" Weiss voice came very quietly, trembling and uncertain, "We have never _reall_y talked before. As Friends! And well, I just wanted to –um."

Weiss sighed, "I sure hope you're enjoying yourself in heaven. I hear it's great there. Everything you could possibly need."

"I bet your eating your fill of cookies, and hunting your fill of grimm." Weiss chuckled lightly. "Have you ridden on a nevermore yet? The ones in heaven probably soar much higher than the one you and I rode."

"I still remember when I agreed to that insane plan. You wouldn't believe how angry I was when you ditched me? I had to be saved by scraggly for god sakes!"

"And then you, being the child you are, had to rush into the fight, giving me no choice but to save you from that Death Stalker. A very close call if I recall correctly."

Weiss exhaled a long breath, placing a hand on the cold surface of the stone, her eyes getting foggy. "The good ol' times. Do you remember Ruby? We defeated it in the end. Together. Now… I-"

Weiss shook her head, lightly rubbing her eyes with one hand.

"You know I saw that Ursa behind you. I truly did."

"I saw it, but I-I didn't do anything. I just stood there like an idiot. "

"You'll be fine, I told myself. You can take care of yourself. I had a mob of Beowulfs to take care of anyways."

"So I remained, waiting for you to spill its guts while I did likewise to my opponents."

She clenched her jaws.

"Who knew it was you who bled first."

"Who knew you, Ms. _Don't-worry-about-me, _would be unable to defend yourself."

Weiss squeezed her eyes shut.

"I tried to get to you in time."

"I used my glyphs and I fired my dust at that Ursa. I got there and I cut that bastard into pieces. Into pieces so small you could barely see them. That wretch was a cloud of blood by the time I was done with it. I was so angry and so enraged!"

"But when I bent down to help you… you-"

Weiss swallowed, giving herself a couple of seconds to calm down.

"Do you still remember at the beginning of the year?"

Weiss waited for a couple of seconds as if somewhere and somehow she would hear a voice. A sweet, melodic voice that would utter a sincere and whole-hearted reply. The same voice that greeted her with a zeal whenever they saw each other, the same voice that would laugh in glee at the slightest joke, the same voice that comforted Weiss whenever she got too impatient or angry, the same voice that Weiss used to hate hearing. But now… when nothing came. When so sound at all was heard. She searched for it; she scoured for it. It had, in an instant, become something Weiss longed for, but something she would never hear again.

"Remember when I told you that you were an idiot? A child? That you wouldn't last long enough as a huntress?"

Uncontrollably and unexpectedly, Weiss began to sniffle. She swallowed a huge lump in her throat that had formed in the hours of kneeling. She bent down, grabbing the thin red cloak with her hand, feeling the soft silky red linen.

"G-Guess I was right." Weiss tried to force a smile. "You dolt."

"I told you to be careful. Be more attentive." Weiss grasped the cloak with two hands, fists clenched on it until her knuckles went white.

"I told you. Didn't I? I told you to be smarter. To stop being a child."

"But you didn't! You kept being the same klutz you always were!"

"I TOLD YOU TO THINK BEFORE YOU DO" Weiss ripped a shred off the cloak. "BUT YOU-"

"YOU DIDN'T LISTEN!" She tore another piece off.

"YOU DIDIN'T LISTEN TO ME!" _Krrrrr_!

"I TOLD YOU SO MANY TIMES!"

"BUT!" _Krrrrr! _ "YOU!" _Krrrr! _"WOULDN'T!" Krrrr! "LISTEN!" _Krrrr!_ Weiss screamed the last word into the skies, as she tossed the pieces of red cloth in her hands into the air, letting it blow up like confetti.

Weiss sniffed. "I tried-"

The red strands floated slowly down around her, blending in with the dead autumn leaves.

"I told you to be smarter. To be more diligent. To be less clumsy." Weiss said choking on her own words.

"And- And well… Look at you now." Weiss looked up expecting a pair of apologetic silver eyes, remorseful as always for disappointing Weiss, her 'best-est' teammate. But all she saw was the unwavering and ominous glare of her grave. The marker of Ruby's death. The undeniable proof that Ruby was gone.

Weiss picked up the lone rose that lay obscure underneath a piece of red cloth. A thorn bit into her finger, but she didn't care. She hugged the flower close to her chest, wrapping it safely with a piece of ripped red cloth.

"Ruby I-I couldn't even say good bye."

====Ethereal====

It was a long walk back to Beacon, but it felt good to finally move around. Weiss had stayed with Ruby until the Sun plunged into the world beyond the mountains, leaving the skies a murky starless black.

Her feet slid across the sidewalk, her back lacking the high class straightness she used to relentlessly upkeep. Her eyes lacked the vibrancy and livelihood as she did when she was with Ruby. Her eyes lacked the attentiveness she herself once proudly possessed. In one hand, gripped tightly and firmly was a small withering rose, whose petals had already begun to fall. It was wrapped in a scrap of red cloth, damp with tears and blood. Weiss clenched the cloth so tightly, her hand hurt, but to hell with it. She wasn't willing to let the only thing she had to herself, that reminded her of Ruby, to simply float away into the night.

Weiss's eyes were red and puffy, but no tears came. She sniffled, she choked, but her eyes refused to get watery. It was cruel. Her partner was gone and she wasn't even given the pleasure to cry, to let her feelings out, to lessen the pain and agony she felt in her chest. To show Ruby –wherever she was in heaven- that she truly cared about her. Weiss had told herself, it's because she was tough and only the weak cry. She had held in her tears during the ceremony; she had held them in at the cemetery, but now, as she walked alone, she realised tears were all she had left to give.

For her entire life, Weiss felt as if she were above everyone. Unique, rich, intelligent. She placed top in her class for everything. She was singled out as exemplary in any subject. Despite her rather solitary life, being alone at the top, Ruby was still able to slip in through a gap in Weiss's fortified heart. For the time Weiss had spent at Beacon, in spite of her vicious coldness to Ruby, Weiss had never felt so belonging and so important to anyone in her entire life. Not her mother, not her father, no. The person Weiss had finally for once allowed to stay in her heart, was a stupid, careless child. A stupid, carless child Weiss could never take off her mind. To have such a person snatched from her before she was even allowed a chance to express her true feelings was soul crushing. Weiss had never felt so abandoned, so tricked and so empty in her entire life.

_What if I never knew you? I wouldn't be suffering. I wouldn't have had to suffer those late nights teaching you things you should already know. I wouldn't have had to suffer when you were upset with a bad grade. I wouldn't have had to suffer to put up with your foolish nonsense. I sure as hell wouldn't be sulking around in the streets at night just because you're gone. I wouldn't have suffered. It was all because of you. _

Weiss saw the glimmering lights of Beacon academy begin to appear through the murky fog. She used to think Beacon was such a beautiful place. A prestigious school for teaching huntresses and hunters that she had always dreamed of attending. Now it is nothing but a big box filled with memories of Ruby. Professor port's class room: the place where Ruby cheered Weiss on in her battle against the boarbatusk. The mess hall: the mess hall in which team RWBY defeated team JNPR in an epic food battle. The ball room: the ball room where Weiss first began to feel something she never have felt before. At the time though, she couldn't place her finger on it. But as time passed, the more time she spent with Ruby, the greater the feeling grew. By the time she truly realized what it meant though, it was too late. Too late to tell Ruby. Too late to confess.

It had been at least 2 hours before she faced the familiar double doors that led to the dorms. Weiss rubbed her eyes, attempting to get rid of any signs of sadness or weakness. She sighed, before pushing open the door slowly and walking grimly into the building.

The dorms used to be packed with people telling jokes, running around, having fun, but tonight it was dead silent. Everyone was in their rooms. All the doors were closed. And it was quiet.

_Thank god. I don't know if I can stand a bunch of rowdy teenagers right now._

Weiss slumped up the stairs to the dorms, yawning a couple of times.

Weiss opened the door into her team's room, not a thought in her mind. Yang stood with a sheepish grin on her face, obviously hiding a wretched burning rage within herself, prepared to unleash and wipe the grimm off the face of a the planet.

"Hi guys." Weiss muttered.

Blake looked up from her bed, "Hi."

"You're back!" Yang exclaimed, her voice audilby wobbling.

"Are you alright? Do you…" Said the black haired girl.

Weiss nodded slowly.

"Are you sure? I know Ruby meant a lot to you."

"No." Weiss replied a little bit too quickly. "She was just my teammate. I'm fine."

"But you look really…"

"I'm _fine_."

"I'm just worried about you. "

"Please just worry about yourself… or Yang." Weiss glanced at the blonde, whose arms rattled at her side. "I just want to sleep."

"Haha! I'm fine! Don't need to worry about me!" Yang jabbed a thumb at her chest.

"You're not fine Yang."

"Please… When has anything got me down?"

"You're sister is dead. Yang. You should act like it."

"Weiss. Please."

"She's sitting in the ground rotting while you're standing around all happy."

"Alright. Fine, Weiss. You want to act? You want me to ACT?"

"Weiss. You don't have to be so-"Blake interrupted.

"IT WAS_ YOUR_ FAULT WEISS! _YOU_ WERE HER PARTNER_! YOU_ LET HER DIE!" Yang screamed at the top of her lungs, a yellow flame consuming her form. "_YOU_! WEISS! IT WAS ALL _YOUR_ FAULT! NIETHER OF US WERE THERE, BUT _YOU! YOU_ WATCHED HER BE KILLED BY THAT URSA!"

Weiss stood motionless, her face derived of all emotion, "Are you done?"

"We're all team mates here. Let's just all calm down and talk."

"CALM DOWN BLAKE? YOU WANT ME TO CALM DOWN. I'M GOING TO KILL HER!"

"Try me."

"YEEAARGH!" Yang rushed at Weiss putting all her weight into her right fist.

BOOOM!

A thick veil of smoke filled the room, but Weiss stood nonetheless in the same position. As the smoke cleared, between Yang's fiery fists and Weiss, hovered a clear white glyph. Yang threw her left fist forward into the glyph, successful in merely making it shudder.

"I'm going to sleep." Weiss declared.

As Weiss turned towards her bed, Yang continued her relentless assault on the unbreakable glyph. "YEAARRGH! IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT! YOU KILLED HER! YOU MURDERED RUBY! YOU MURDERED MY SISTER!"

Weiss achingly lowered herself onto the lower bunk, resting her head on her pillow. "MURDERER! TRAITOR" Yang continued to shout.

Weiss shifted her position so that her back faced the enflamed girl. She curled into a ball, clutching the dying rose in her arms. She hadn't bother taking off her shoes, or even changing her clothes. "WHY DID YOU DO IT WEISS?! YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS!"

Weiss closed her eyes, as tears began to dribble down the side of her face. The music of Yang's fists striking the glyph became her lullaby and Yang's screams became her bed time story, as Weiss dozed off into the bleak land of sleep.

_I failed you Ruby._

====Ethereal====

Some optimistic people would gladly say a new day means new beginnings. But Weiss was not an optimist, she was a realist. Ruby was dead, and there was no way in the world she would ever come back. The morning brought the sun, the morning brought the melodic birds and the morning brought smiles to those who survived the night, but today it brought nothing but regret.

"Hey Weiss." Yang walked towards the sleeping girl, herself having just woken up.

"What the heck are you doing Yang?" Blake quickly jumped from her bed grabbing the blonde girl's shirt collar.

"What?"

"Are you mad? You think punching her when she's vulnerable will make you happy?"

_Ugh… what are these two up two now._

Yang shook her head madly. "Oh no! No! That wasn't what I was doing. I was over the line yesterday, and my anger clouded the fact that Ruby meant a lot to Weiss. Possibly even more than she is to me. So … y'know, I just want to give her the classic Yang apology."

"Oh." Blake released her hold, "That's great, but I don't think this is a good time to bother her."

_Good thinking Blake._

Yang glanced at the still form behind her and nodded, "Right... But, it's class, shouldn't we at least…"

"No. Let her sleep."

"But-"

"Oh for god sakes just listen to Blake and go away!" Weiss complained, her back still facing her teammates.

"Come on Yang." Blake pulled Yang away and out the door before things could turn sour again.

After hearing the door slam shut, Weiss flipped onto her back. Sleeping on her side for the whole night, trying not to look at Yang had taken a toll on her arm. By the time her body relaxed again, she felt the blood rush into her arms, making it feel like an army of ants have called her arm home.

_Eurgh … I feel sick._

_Maybe I really should just skip a day. _

She felt her forehead for any rise of temperature.

_I'm not sick though. _

For her entire life and at Beacon, Weiss had always strove for perfection, but with Ruby by her side it has dragged her down immensely. Using precious time helping the idiot study instead of learning more herself had observably halted her mission to be the best.

Weiss groaned as she hauled herself up from the bed.

_Ruby wouldn't want me to waste time sleeping because she isn't here anymore… ack, what am I saying, _I _don't want myself to waste time sleeping because of her either. This is what I signed up for as a huntress. A real huntress can cope with these things._

Weiss glanced at the clock sitting on her dresser.

_8:10, I still have 10 minutes to get to class._

She walked towards dresser, but as she began to take off her dress she noticed her hand was dotted with red splotches of blood.

_When did this-_

Weiss studied her surroundings, and her eyes noticed a crumpled red rose mushed between the folds of her blanket.

_Oh…_

====Ethereal====

_WHEEEEEEEE!_

_A whistle screamed inside the dorm echoing throughout the room as Weiss jumped in her bed. _

_"GOOOOD MORNING WEISSY WOO!" Ruby shouted jumping down from her top bunk._

_"__Go away…" Weiss turned away, covering her head with her pillow. Every day, Ruby does this, but Weiss still couldn't get over it, Ruby's antics seeming to only increase in irritability. It was literally the same every day. Whistle blast, random greeting and then … the insufferable pestering._

_"__Awww… but another day means another beginning! What shall we do today?"_

_"__Class."_

_"__But that's boring! WE should do something fun together!"_

_"__Like studying?" _

_"__I don't think you understand fun…"_

_"__I don't think you understand failing grades."_

_Ruby pouted, "But Weiss…"_

_"__What?"_

_"__You'll help me right?"_

_"__Not if I don't have to."_

_"__That's mean." _

_"__No. It's a fact."_

_"__Weissy Weissy, tsk tsk, always so professional." Ruby shook her head._

Ugh, this girl is such a fool. Doesn't she realize we still have a whole hour before class even stars? Why does she always wake me up like this?

_"__Hmm…"_

_"__Are you trying to think Ruby? Because I'm surprised you are even able to do that."_

_Ruby giggled, "Oooh, that was good! I need to remember that one. But never mind that because I have just the thing to wake you up." _

_"__Ugh… whatever you do, don't do it. Because I know it's going to be stupid."_

_Weiss waited for a while, but strangely there was no answer._

That's weird, did she leave? I have never had a moment of silence in the morning before.

_Weiss stirred in her bed, trying to fall back into her sleep, but the thought bugged her like crazy. If there was one thing more annoying that Ruby, it was inconsistency. _

I don't get it. Why is she so quiet? I didn't hear the door close yet.

_Weiss turned to face where Ruby was standing before, hoping to get to the bottom of the situation._

_"__Chu!" Ruby kissed Weiss on the cheek._

_"__WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT YOU DOLT!" Weiss scrambled off the other side of the bed, pushing Ruby away. She was still wrapped in her thick blanket which she clutched around herself. _

_"__Hehe, guess who finally got up?" Ruby grinned._

_"__DON'T YOU DARE DO THAT AGAIN!" Weiss screamed, not a hint of humour in her voice._

_"__But I was just-"_

_"__NO! YOU CAN'T JUST DO THAT TO ME! THAT'S WRONG!" _

_"__I-"_

_"__DON'T YOU EVEN TRY TO FINISH THAT SENTENCE! YOU'RE NEVER SORRY! YOU JUST KEEP MESSING UP OVER AND OVER AGAIN!"_

_Ruby's former joyous gaze was quickly turned downcast, becoming focused on her fidgeting fingers._

_"__YOU- YOU'RE SUCH A CHILD!" Weiss finished, huffing and puffing, cheeks red from what she claimed to be anger. _

_There was a small moment of silence between the nervous Ruby and the seething Weiss, but after a while Ruby lifted her head to face Weiss, giving her a small quivering smile, "S-See you in class then. Have a good morning." _

_Weiss didn't say anything at all, she just stood glaring at the girl's back as she watched the door slam shut behind her. _

_Weiss didn't even flinch._

====Ethereal====

The door to Port's class opened with a small creak as Weiss stepped into the spacious lecture hall. When she was outside, she could hear professor Port bellowing his tremendous stories and adventures as the class listened, half cheering, half sleeping. But now…

"Professor. Good morning."

Everything got quiet.

Students shut up, professor port lowered his volume and even the sleeping students stopped snoring.

"Weiss. Good to see you are … back on your feet."

"That would be assuming I was even knocked over in the first place." Weiss deadpanned.

"Of course. The great Weiss Schnee wouldn't allow that now would she?" Port gave a nervous chuckle.

Weiss began walking to her normal seat, next to an abnormally uneasy Jaune, if that was even possible. "What are we learning today?" She asked the Professor while sitting down.

"Uh." He glanced at the board behind him with multiple drawings, illustrating the different attacks of the Ursa. "I … did not expect you to be joining us today… but no matter! We'll continue this lesson another time. Instead we'll be talking about the Goliath."

"No. It's ok. You can continue as you were before." Weiss waved him off.

"Are you sure?"

"Like I said. You are assuming I have been affected by my team leader's most tragic death."

"Right…" Port kneaded his eyebrows together, "As I was saying… while Oobleck and I travelled through the forest-"

Weiss sighed, as she listened to the professor resume his crazy and exaggerated story. The room remained an unsettling and nervous silence. Not a hint of the noise Weiss heard before she entered came back.

"Hey Weiss." Jaune mumbled next to her.

Weiss rolled her eyes, attempting block out the blonde's voice.

"I don't think you feel as … normal as you claim to be."

"How many times do I have to tell people? I'm fine."

"Yang told me you stayed behind at Ruby's grave for almost 8 hours after they left."

"What? Yang did- I only stayed there out of respect."

"You sure you're all right?"

"YES!"

"Um, but you still seem kind of down." Jaune rummaged around his papers. "Here! I drew something for you!"

Jaune place his small doodle of professor port in front of Weiss, "Isn't it funny?"

Weiss's lips began to tremble. "It's-"

"Is something wrong?"

Weiss eyes became misty as she sniffled, shaking hands grabbing the piece of paper Jaune gave her.

"Is it that bad?"

"Ruby she-" Weiss chucked the paper at Jaune. She quickly lay down on the desk in front of her, covering her face and head with her arms in shame. She sniffled, "Sh-she would always do this…"

====Ethereal====

_ "__Psst! Hey Weiss!" Ruby whispered to Weiss who was intently trying to note down what Port was saying._

_"__Hey! Psst!" Ruby nudged Weiss's arms, making the word she was writing go haywire._

_"__Oh sorry about that!"_

_Weiss fist clenched on her pen as she was forced to taint her paper by crossing it out._

_"__Weiss. That is why I use pencil. But anyways, I just wanted to say something about this morning."_

_Weiss exhaled in exasperation. _There is no escaping her annoyance is there.

_"__I'm really sorry about what I did and I really wanted to make it up to you, sooo…"_

_Ruby yanked a sheet of paper from her notebook and showed it happily to Weiss waving it in the air. "Ta daaa~" She sang._

_Weiss snatched it from her. "What the heck is this?" She said, jabbing her pen at a girl in a frilly skirt that sat in the middle of the picture."_

_"__That's me…"_

_"__Eh. And this lump?"_

_Rub giggled, "Hehehe, that's professor Port."_

_"__So you drew a picture of Port teaching a class, and you listening to him? That's pretty ironic given you never listen anyways."_

_"__But do you like it?"_

_"__Do I like it? What's the point? You're making it up to me by drawing a picture of yourself! That's stupid. Shouldn't I be in there somewhere?"_

_"__Nope."_

_"__Why not?"_

_Ruby leaned towards Weiss._

_"__Because no Weiss I draw will compare to the girl in front of me." Ruby whispered into Weiss's ear with a wide grin._

_Weiss crumpled the piece of paper and threw it at Ruby's face._

_"__Idiot. You never learn." Weiss hissed._

_"__I know you like it." Ruby picked up the ball of paper, tucking it into Weiss's hand. __"You do right?"_

_Weiss face grew red from … anger … once again._

====Ethereal====

"Oh would you look at the time! Class is over! Go home children! Sleep! Play! Do what you will! But come ready again tomorrow!" Oobleck recited as the stream of students exited his class.

The day was over. Weiss had finished her last class and was heading back to the dorms for some real sleeping time. Port's story had been boring even though Weiss had her head tucked in her arm. Ooblecks lesson were even worse. The caffeine high professor barely made sense, spewing tons of information in the time it takes someone to blink. Weiss had tried arduously to keep up and note what he was saying, but it ended catastrophically. _Ugh, I'm exhausted. I can't stand all these people pestering me about whether I'm fine…_

The walk back was absolutely tedious. No one wanted to talk to her, and no one even greeted her. Yang and Blake were probably already back at the dorms waiting to ask Weiss whether she was fine just like every single other person.

But at least she could walk without annoyance back to the dorm.

At least she was left alone in peace for once.

That's… a good thing … right?

====Ethereal====

_ "__WEISS! WAIT UP!" Ruby called after the heiress, who picked up her pace._

_Ruby grabbed Weiss's shoulder, laughing, "Why are you walking so fast? We're not in a rush are we?"_

_"__I am… to get away from you."_

_Ruby grinned, "But I had something planned for us!"_

_"__I know for certain it's going to be dumb, so I'm not even going to ask what it is… just … why?"_

_"__WHY? For nothing but our first mission together of course! And to … I guess make up even more for this morning. Anyways - before, there were team missions with Yang and Blake. There was the one with Oobleck… but this one! Just you and me!"_

_"__I don't understand how that is worth celebrating. "_

_"__Aww come on! It's our last day before! Aren't you excited?"_

_"__No."_

_"__You, me… the wild…" Ruby scanned her hand across the horizon._

_Weiss sighed._

_"__Don't you at least want to know what I've planned?"_

_"__No."_

_"__Hmmph," Ruby tugged at Weiss's hand, "Come with me!"_

_"__Wait!" Weiss attempted to jerk her hand away, but Ruby was holding on tight "LET GO RUBY!"_

====Ethereal====

Weiss slumped up the stairs, dragging her bag on the ground behind her, letting it hit each step loudly.

Again, everyone was in their rooms, not wanting to be caught alone with Weiss in the hall. It seemed almost like a ghost town, where the villagers are hiding from the evil cowboy who had come to invade their homes.

Weiss turned the corner to get to her room, but the she noticed where everyone was. Literally everyone was outside their dorm. People were either trying to get a good look at something in the dorm or was squeezing through the tight bodies to enter the dorm. Even Jaune, Ren, Nora and Pyrrha were crowded at the back trying to push through the crowd.

"HEY!" Weiss shouted, "What are all you half-wits doing?"

The crowd didn't notice her and continued to drive their wedge through the thin door.

"HEY!" Weiss screamed again, picking up her pace.

Reaching the door, Weiss shoved the people aside with as much force as she could regardless of who the person was.

"Ow!" A flash of blonde hair uttered as Jaune fell hard on his butt, "Wait… Weiss! "

Weiss ignored him as she continued drilling through the wall of bodies, making her way towards her room. But she quickly hit a big rock in her way.

"MOVE IT FOOL!"

Cardin snapped to look at who it was behind him. Even though he had bullied so many people without mercy, the look on Weiss's face struck cold heartless fear into him. Stepping aside, Cardin shoved an entire section of the crowd away from Weiss.

Weiss practically leapt through the door, grabbing the small gap Cardin had given her. She landed finally hobbling into her room dazed and confused.

"YANG? BLAKE? What is the meaning of this?" Weiss scanned the room looking for her team.

"Weiss?" Yang murmured.

She was standing in the middle of the room, with tears in her eyes.

"What are you -"

"Ruby… she…" Yang looked at something beside her.

"What?" Weiss rushed, "Spit it out! I need an explanation for this!"

Yang's eyebrows scrunched together, "Don't you…"

"Don't I what? WHY ARE ALL THESE PEOPLE HERE?" Weiss turned to the people behind her, "SCRAM! ALL OF YOU!"

The crowd quickly dispersed and the dorm was once again as silent as a graveyard. Weiss shut the door in anger and frustration. She turned back to her team, her hair messed up and her fists clenched into balls. "EXPLAIN. NOW!"

"Weiss… do you not … see?" Blake, who Weiss hadn't noticed sitting in a dark corner of the room, asked, "Ruby is…"

"RUBY IS WHAT?"

"A ghost…" Yang muttered

Weiss was stunned for a second. At first, her longing for Ruby's face was ignited once again, searching for the happy grin she had grown so accustomed to. But no sooner later, she realised how stupid it was to consider what Yang said, even as a possibility. "A GHOST?"

"Ye-"

"OH YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!"

"I-"

"YOU HAVE TIME TO JOKE ABOUT HER DEATH? WHAT A SISTER YOU ARE!"

"No! Weiss, look!" Yang waved her arms at empty space next to her, "Don't you see?"

"Oh my GOD! You're crazy!"

"She's serious." Blake added.

"Not you as well?"

"Ruby is a ghost, Weiss. She's right there."

"If you think I'm some five year old child you can just trick like that, you are all insane!"

"You can't even hear her?"

"HOW CAN I HEAR WHAT DOESN'T EXIST!" Weiss screamed.

"Oh god…" Yang placed a hand on her forehead. "That's horrible…"

"NO! YOU'RE HORRIBLE! YOU THINK THIS IS FUNNY?"

"No… don't you believe me?"

"Oh of course I believe you. I mean why wouldn't I? There's just that little fact, I don't quite grasp, something about RUBY BEING A BLOODY GHOST?!"

"I'm serious! Then why do you think all those people were gathered outside?"

"Because you tried to play a trick on me?"

"WHY WOULD I WASTE MY TIME ON THAT?"

"I DON'T KNOW? MAYBE BECAUSE YOU'RE YANG, AND YOU CAN'T THINK STRAIGHT?"

"HEY WATCH YOURSELF ICE PRINCESS!"

"YOU WATCH YOURSELF!"

"I AM-" Yang took a step forward, but suddenly calmed down, looking at empty space next to her. "Ruby's right. We shouldn't be fighting."

"OH. HA. HA. Ruby's right? Are you really trying to keep this going?"

Blake responded first, "You don't have to believe us Weiss. But if you were really a friend of Ruby's you'd realize we miss her a lot too. Never. Never would we joke about her… her passing."

"The only true thing you said is that I am not going to believe you. But that is it. There is no such thing as ghosts and I am certainly not Ruby's friend!"

Yang clenched her jaw, "I'm sorry Ruby."

"Oh shut it Yang." Weiss reprimanded, "You'll only look stupid if you keep this up."

Yang glared at Weiss, "I'm sorry that Weiss refuses to acknowledge. I'm sorry that Weiss is being an asshole. I'm sorry that Weiss said she's not your friend. Because I know even though that is what she says, she really misses you and holds you closely."

"UGH! You're a mad woman. I don't care anymore." Weiss threw her bag onto her desk, her work spilling out onto the oak wood. "If Ruby is really here like you said. Tell her to … fuck off."

====Ethereal====

**A/N**

***UPDATE*Alright, so by rewriting it, I added a HUGE amount of stuff as you've probably seen. So much that it has been split into two chapters. And if you like this chapter, don't worry, I'm going to update in a couple of hours, since the next part is pretty much done. Just editing. Hope you don't mind the short wait!*UPDATE* **

**So what did you guys think? Eh, this was more for fun then for a real story. Again, this is based off of an artwork done by medukarrrabu on tumblr. I thought it was really sad, which was why I wanted to write this. Tell me what you thought of it. **

**Remember to review, favourite and follow!**

**Good day!**

**ExGuard123**


	2. Part 2

**A/N**

***UPDATE* Super small change to the end, so it flows to the ending (separate chapter) that will be uploaded in a few days. Also some minute edits to the grammar and sentence throughout the story. Tell me if you find anymore! Thanks! *UPDATE***

**So, I had a pretty sucky week. You know how I said I'd post this update a couple hours later? Well obvious it's not. I happened to be finishing up my editing but my mom was being extra stealthy that night and caught me on my laptop when I should've been sleep. She got incredibly pissed and took my laptop away. I COULDN'T GAME FOR A WEEK! CAN YOU IMAGINE? This morning, I convinced her that I wouldn't use my laptop so late at night, and that I promised to be good. She accepted, but guess what? I'm uploading this at 2am.**

**Anyways, that's my problem, for you though, part 2! Enjoy!**

**PS. Apologies for some time jumping, I'm a bit worried that they will be confusing. I tried my best. Just know whenever it's in italics it's a memory and it usually acts as a time divider. Thanks for understanding!**

====Ethereal====

_"LET GO!"_

_"Just wait Weiss! We're almost there~" _

_"I don't want to go!"_

_"Oh come on, I told you it'll be fun!"_

_"I need to do my homework!"_

_"Just through here."_

_"LET GO!"_

_Ruby turned a sharp turn through the dense emerald forest, finally breaking into a clearing after almost 5 minutes of endless running._

_"Welcome to my humble pond." _

_Weiss emerged into a small clearing. In the centre was a very quaint pond. It wasn't that big like a majestic lake or anything. There wasn't an old wise willow that wept next to the pond. There wasn't a majestic pair of swans that swam in the pond. It was just an everyday pond._

_"This is what you wanted to show me? A dirty pond?"_

_"Do you not like it?"_

_"Of course I don't like it!"_

_"Oh ... I thought you would."_

_"Well I don't. What's the point of taking me all the way out here?"_

_"To show you this!"_

_Ruby produced a small file from her pocket, placing it in Weiss's palm._

_"What's this?"_

_"Read it."_

_Weiss flipped open the folder, and held the only sheet of paper inside up to read it out loud. "Jaune Arc has been found to be guilty of fraud and his expulsion will take effect immediately. Ok great, scraggly is getting kicked out. Who cares?"_

_"Keep reading."_

_"His position is, as of now, open … for claim."_

_"Huh? Right? You see now Weiss? I can see the look on your face."_

_"What does this mean?"_

_"You can be a team leader!"_

_"I- I don't understand."_

_"I guess I should start from the beginning. You know how Jaune was a little… behind all of us. He faked his documents so that he would be accepted into Beacon. Long story short, they found out."_

_"I mean, what did you mean when you said I can be team leader?"_

_"Oh! Well I know you've always wanted to be team leader, so I talked to Ozpin and you know, pulled the old Ruby pizazz and told them Weiss would be willing to take up the position."_

_"Wait… WHAT DID YOU DO?"_

_"I knew that you had always wanted to be team leader, and you had always wanted to be on the same team with Pyrrha to be the perfect partnership; Therefore, I thought Weiss is going to love this. No offence to Jaune of course."_

_"You…"_

_"After our mission, you'll be put on team JNRP, or should I say WNPR now, as their team leader! Isn't that great?"_

_"But …" Weiss felt her heart suddenly combust inside her. _

_"What?"_

_"But you- why did you do that?"_

_"Well, I uh, I feel like I've constantly been a … disappointment to you. So –um- I thought if you replaced Jaune, you wouldn't have to worry about me dragging you down all the time. You'll finally be able to be with Pyrrha as a partner, who I'm sure is in no way going to waste your time like I have."_

_"But-"_

_"If you're worried about us not seeing each other again.__ Don't worry about it. It's not like we won't be seeing each other during lunch or class." Ruby grinned, "It's just that you'll finally get what you wanted without me there to ruin it."_

_"I- "_

_Ruby smiled encouragingly._

_"NO! " Weiss ripped the paper in shreds, chucking it carelessly over her shoulder. "I-I don't want to."_

_Ruby smile faltered, as tears pooled in her eyes. "What? Why?"_

_"I don't want to leave you."_

_As tears streamed from the younger girl's eyes, she ran up, bear hugging Weiss._

_"I knew it…I just knew somewhere in your heart… you had a place for me."_

====Ethereal====

Weiss couldn't sleep. For hours she tossed and turned in her bed, thinking about the day before that dreaded mission. She couldn't get it out of her head. The late afternoon at the pond, where Weiss had finally been broken. The walls she had built around her heart had been destroyed by one careful and precise strike by Ruby. Ever since her death though, Weiss had worked on repairing that wall, reinforcing it with steel beams, boosting its strength with armour plating, disallowing anyone's entry to her personal life. She was afraid of letting anyone to be close, she was afraid that if she let someone else in, that person would be likewise snatched from her with no remorse. She feared to go through what she had before.

Who knew, that even though Ruby didn't exist anymore, she could still bring those walls crumbling down again, smashing the steel into splinters, denting and bending the armour plates.

Weiss clutched her head. _What if Ruby really was a ghost, and she heard what I had said to her._

_"Tell her to fuck off…" _Her own words echoed in her head. She squeezed her skull feeling herself go faint and light headed.

Weiss shook her head.

_No way… no way she's a ghost. It's was all a trick by Yang and Blake. But what if…. ARG!_

Weiss chucked the pillow from under her head at an invisible entity in the dark.

_If I could take that back … I would._

Weiss pondered for a second, and sighed, whispering, "Curse myself."

"Ruby?"

"Are you there?"

No response.

"Ruby?" Weiss tried again.

"Well, if you really are a ghost… um… I just wanted to tell you, I'm sorry for saying that before."

Weiss waited again for some supernatural voice to utter an apology accepted, but of course, she heard nothing.

"Um … alright then."

Weiss closed her eyes, but felt the urge to keep talking as if Ruby was beckoning to converse more.

"Well, since I'm already talking to myself, might as well keep going."

Weiss sat up in her bed, leaning against the head board, and in her hands, was a scrap of red cloth. It had become almost like a teddy bear for Weiss. The cloth was in her hand, every night she slept. The red fabric was all that was left of Ruby's cloak, and Weiss regretted ever ripping one of Ruby's most treasured possessions. "I hope you're doing fine as a ghost Ruby."

"You better have ridden that Nevermore since last we … talked."

"I'm sorry again for what I said. I just can't believe you're a ghost. You understand me right?"

Weiss nodded to herself.

"Of course you do, you always have."

"Oh and by the way, Ozpin made me leader for RWBY –er- sorry WBY. We're supposed to be getting a fourth member sometime soon. Hopefully she's somewhat like you. "Weiss scratched her head. " I know what you're thinking and no… it's just for practical purposes. It would keep the team running smoothly like before."

Weiss swallowed, seeing if this time, she might hear someone respond.

"Ruby, either I'm going mad like Yang, or I'm just desperate." Weiss muttered. "Probably the latter."

"Anyways, sleep well. Do ghosts sleep? Ah whatever, as long as you're at peace and rid of all the worries of school, life and grimm, I know that I will sleep soundly. "

Weiss scooted down into her blanket, gazing at the bunk bed above her, imagining a girl still sleeping above her. Arms spread wildly, hair scattered messily and mouth drooling from the side. "Good- Good night Ruby."

_I'm insane._

====Ethereal====

The next morning passed rather normally, but no doubt Weiss felt a bit strange. Something had changed. She woke up with a hint of excitement and for a chance in a million, elated.

"Hey Yang." Weiss asked, as she got dressed, "Do you mind if I ask you a question?"

"Hmm? Is something wrong… you seem at peace for a change."

"Right… but just for information purposes… is… is Ruby here?"

"What?"

Weiss blushed, "You heard me."

"Didn't yesterday-"

"YES! I get it, just tell me."

"Ruby? You there?" Yang shouted into open space. "Where are you hiding?"

"So?"

"Good morning sis! Weiss is looking for you. " Yang smiled turning to Weiss, "Yeah, she's here. Why though, may I ask?"

"Just for informational purposes." Weiss said as she finished putting on her jacket.

She tapped her foot on the floor as Yang took her sweet time to put on her precious gauntlets.

"Could you be any slower?" Weiss hurried.

"Jeez, I'm done." Yang said striding out the door, "Impatient."

Weiss glanced outside down the hall as Yang disappeared around the corner. She tucked her head back in, closing the door.

She climbed up to Ruby's bed and sat down.

"Good morning." Weiss smiled sweetly.

_Oh god this is dumb._

"Um, I hope you were listening when I was talking last night… I wasn't sure if you were there. Maybe sleeping? I don't know."

"I apologized for what I said… but again, you know me. I don't just easily believe in ghosts."

"But um, I couldn't take the chance that I was actually … saying that. AGH, this is so strange. I'm pretty much talking to no one. I don't even get a response."

Weiss stroked the white blanket that had only two weeks ago covered the form of Ruby Rose.

"I miss you."

Weiss squeezed her eyes shut, pausing for a moment.

"Say, do ghosts eat? I guess we could go to breakfast toget-"

"WEISS! You rush me, but you yourself go straight back in? What are you doing?" Yang's easily recognized voice echoed from the hallway.

Weiss instinctively jumped down from Ruby's bed scrambling out the door past the blonde, shielding her face.

"What were you doing?" Yang called after her, but Weiss had already turned the corner and shot down the stairs.

"Ruby? Come on, let's go. Are you there?" Weiss whispered. "I think today they will have cookies…"

====Ethereal====

_"Why did you bring me to this pond anyways." _

_"Because I like it."_

_"Of course. Why else would Ruby Rose do anything."_

_Ruby lay stretched out on the wild green grass, eyes closed. Next to her, Weiss sat on her bottom, her arms wrapped around her legs. She didn't want to sit on the grass, but Ruby had offered to lay out her cloak for Weiss to sit on. Weiss didn't have any other reason not to and so complied._

_Surprisingly though, the cloak was silky, smooth, and quite warm actually. No wonder Ruby wore it around so often. Weiss had always thought it was a thick and itchy, but now found herself tracing her fingers on the red fabric._

_"Well you don't know the reason why I like this pond. "_

_…_

_Ruby coughed._

_Weiss rolled her eyes, "Why?"_

_"Good question my young Weiss-hopper! Ever since these woods were infected by grimm, people began to fear this place. But I guess it's nice to know, that as scary as anything seems, there's always something nice. Like my pond here."_

_"This is what you call nice?"_

_"Ok whatever Weiss. I like it. Just can you let me have my moment of philosophical insight?"_

_"Hmm."_

_The two sat in silence for a while listening to the leaves bristle against each other, as the winds conducted their movements in a symphony of ambience. The pond wasn't very spectacular, possibly even the complete opposite. It was just a pool of water in the middle of a forest. But with the way Ruby described it, it did began to arouse feelings of innocence, purity and beauty. The soft light glistening on its surface made it feel like a beacon of serenity compared to the dark recesses of the forest._

_"Are you nervous about tomorrow?" Ruby suddenly asked._

_"Huh?"_

_"About tomorrow."_

_"Ah. Well I'm worried you're going to get us killed somehow."_

_Ruby laughed, "Don't worry about me Weissy, I can handle myself."_

_"I'm not worried about you. I'm worried about my own well being. But so long as you think before you act, and don't goof around like a child... maybe I will actually survive this."_

_"Goof around? I'm a professional Weiss. Psh, I'll take anything the grimm have to offer."_

_"Just please be smart and always remember to be careful."_

_"You worry too much. You should relax like me! It's no big deal. The two best huntresses Beacon has to offer fighting side by side against waves of grimm! It's a story for the ages!" Ruby cheered, raising a fist._

_Weiss simply shook her head and exhaled. "It's just a scouting trip. Sight and flight remember? If we see something, we just leave it alone."_

_"Yeah! Of course I know. Psh, calm down, we're amazing together. We'll be fine."_

_"I hope so."_

_…_

_"Oh and uh … me becoming Team Leader of JNPR?" Weiss wondered._

_"Oh yeah, that was completely made up."_

_"You suck."_

_"Please. I know you don't mean that." _

_"Oh yeah?"_

_ Ruby clutched her face, imitating Weiss. "_Oh Ruby~ I don't want to leave you~"

_"Shut up you dolt. And that's not what I did." Weiss looked away, her face becoming red._

_ It was true. She never meant anything to hurt Ruby._

====Ethereal====

"I think something's wrong with Weiss, Blake."

"I know."

"She's been doing the same thing for what? A month now?" Yang looked to a two seated table by the windows. "She just sits there… every time … with no one with her."

"She's with Ruby."

"But, that's … that's so lonely. She can't even see or hear her."

"But at least she's happy."

Yang sighed, "I guess."

Weiss sat alone facing an empty seat, but the smile on her face was as genuine as smiles could get. She looked almost like a naïve child seeing her favourite food or toy. For days, she had gotten up, greeted a non-existent Ruby, and ate breakfast with a non-existent Ruby. They sat in the same spot, right next to the windows that looked out onto the Beacon Park. They sat in the same seats, with Weiss facing the same empty chair in a perfect straight angle. In front of her was a small tray that contained a plate of fried egg and toast, with some butter on the side. Between her words, she would occasionally munch happily on the crispy toast.

Weiss would tell the invisible girl everything she would be doing during the day. Everything she did the day before. Everything she could say, she did.

It was also, a very special day today. Wednesday. That means they were serving cookies. And of course, a small plate piled with them sat across Weiss on the other side of the table. Weiss always made sure to pick the best ones. The ones that had the most even amount of chocolate chips, the ones with the least cracks, the ones she was sure Ruby would've loved. But alas, as acutely as she selected them, they would always end up untouched.

"It's a pretty cloudy day today." Weiss said, gazing at the grim sky, "But I guess that doesn't really matter right? Too busy enjoying the cookies I bet."

Weiss took a cookie from _Ruby's_ plate and nibbled on it.

"Oh! Forgot to tell you before! Jaune is still here. Ozpin convinced the board that Jaune was a good student and he's actually been allowed to staying … well I guess you probably already know that. Pretty big news. I keep forgetting you can hear and talk, it's just that I can't hear you."

Every morning, Weiss asks Yang the same question. Every morning, she answers the same. "Yes, Ruby is here." But the truth was, her visits were becoming less and less, to the point where Yang hadn't seen her sister in days. Why? Yang didn't know, but what could she do. Weiss was happy. She was able maintained a peaceful smile throughout the day instead of lurking around like a zombie. Yang had tried to make Weiss join them at their table during meals, but Weiss always gave the excuse that she didn't want to abandon Ruby. Even though there were days when Yang knew Ruby wasn't even here, she let Weiss go. To sit alone, in isolated joy, talking to "Ruby".

"Ruby, guess what I found out yesterday?" Weiss grinned, "Yang told me you like milk. Which I should've realised since you like cookies as well…"

Weiss smile drooped for a second as she looked at the uneaten cookies, but strangely enough, she regained her composure when she looked back at the empty seat.

"Maybe I'll get you some tomorrow. I was going to get some, but I spent a little too much time picking out those cookies. Unless you really want some…"

Weiss waited, her face never once showing a hint of sadness when there was no reply. Because in her mind, she thought that Ruby was there, saying something, and so she waited. Waited until she felt that Ruby was given enough time to finish saying what she wished to say.

"I'll get you some milk later, if you'll be here after I get back from school." Weiss raised an eyebrow, "Is that a deal?"

Weiss nodded to herself, exhaling a long breath. "Right… time for class."

Little did she realize, but a ghost had become the very thing that tied her to sanity.

====Ethereal====

_"Dum dee doop dee da."_

_"Quiet Ruby."_

_"What? It's not like we're on a stealth mission."_

_"That's not the problem." Weiss checked behind them, "It's annoying."_

_Ruby grinned, "Oh is it?"_

_"Ruby no… I know what you're thinking."_

_"Doop dee doop dee doo."_

_"I'm serious."_

_Ruby skipped ahead, tooting her tunes, a smile on her face._

_"That idiot. This is a serious mission. Grimm are all around us, just waiting to strike."_

_As Weiss lost herself in the rant, in the distance, Ruby disappeared behind a denser area of forest. It wasn't until an entire minute later that Weiss noticed Ruby was missing._

_"Oh crap. Ruby!" Weiss ran forward, following where she last saw the bounding girl, "RUBY! Where is that idiot?" _

_By the time Weiss had caught up, she found Ruby in the model of a clearing littered by Grimm parts as they dissolved into Rose petals. Ruby stood in the middle, brandishing the vicious blade of Crescent Rose. When the girl noticed Weiss storming towards her, she waved happily gesturing at the handiwork around her. _

_"Ruby! I told you to wait! They probably attacked you because they heard you singing that wretched song!"_

_"Big deal Weissy woo. I took care of them right? Not a scratch on me." Ruby tilted her head up proudly._

_"And what happened to sight and flight? This is just a scouting mission, we're not supposed to go round killing Grimm!" Weiss scolded._

_"Don't worry! As long as we stay positive, the Grimm will stay away."_

_"But you are such a-"_

_Ruby disappeared in a flurry of roses appearing behind Weiss to whisper, "Positive_…"

_Weiss recalled the lesson they learned the day before on how the grimm were attracted to negativity. For the entire trip, every time Weiss got angry at Ruby, the younger girl would use that same excuse. It always worked. "Ugh... fine. BUT, stay close to me alright? I don't want you disappearing again."_

_"But moooom."_

_"Shut up Ruby. You acted like a child, so you're going to be treated like a child."_

_Ruby chuckled grabbing Weiss's hand like a little kid, "Hehe, who said staying close to you was a bad thing."_

====Ethereal====

"Alright. Listen up children. It's been over two months since our last scouting of the surroundings. We are going to go in groups scattered around the surrounding infected zones. It's a basic sight and flight concept. If you see any Grimm. DO NOT ENGAGE. This is just recon. Understand?"

Weiss smiled, "Ruby you there? Well, seems like we're going out again…"

"Weiss! You will go with Yang and Blake, since you can't exactly go with a ghost."

"Yes sir!" Weiss answered. The fact that Ruby is a ghost has become so common, nobody found it special anymore. Some people would walk past Weiss and nod, merely acknowledging the presence of Ruby. It meant the same for her as well; Weiss has also gotten so used to expecting Ruby to be with her, that she doesn't even ask anyone if she was here. She just talks, thinking Ruby is always somewhere aside her, watching and listening.

"Are you ready to fight some Grimm?" Weiss asked.

No response. What did she expect?

"Well I am. It's about time I deal some justice of my own to those wretched things." Weiss grinned.

"WEISS!" Yang jumped at her grabbing Weiss's shoulders, one in each hand. "We're finally back together as a team!"

"Right." Blake muttered appearing behind Yang.

"Where have you been Weiss? We only see each other in the dorms now."

"I- I was working on something… for Ruby."

Yang's features suddenly darkened, "Oh- with Ruby… th-that's good…"

The blonde glanced around her, but saw no presence of her sister. "Didn't you used to ask me whether she was around?"

"Well, now I just sort of assume Ruby is always with me since you always say yes anyways."

Yang gulped, stealing a nervous glance at Blake. "O-Of course."

"So, are you guys read to fight some Grimm?"

"Of course we are! But don't forget. Scouting mission. Don't engage in a fight unless you have to. Don't get too angry." Yang reminded Weiss.

"And that means a lot coming from Yang. Who I've seen multiple times, decimate entire herds of Grimm because of a piece of her hair falling off." Blake mentioned.

Weiss smiled. It has been a while since the three of them really got together and talked. Weiss had been so preoccupied with talking to _Ruby_ that she'd almost forgotten about her team.

"It's good that we're back together." Yang said, hugging Weiss and Blake altogether in one big group.

====Ethereal====

"I have a surprise for you Ruby. In honour of this mission. Remember how last time, you gave me that note, saying I could become team leader? I never really thanked you for it. So I decided to do something on my own…"

Class had been over no more than five minutes ago, as Weiss walked briskly down a empty hallway to the weapons workshop.

"Guess what I did?"

"I think you probably know already, but humour me!"

Weiss opened the door into an empty room, but lying at the end of the room on a clean white table, was _Crescent Rose_.

"You like it? I repaired it!" Weiss hefted, the weapon in her hand, swinging it clumsily trying to mimic what Ruby would usually have done.

"I wasn't able to do the transformation into a gun part though. I tried, but I couldn't figure it out." Weiss rubbed the back of her neck. "But it's good huh?"

Weiss smiled glumly to herself. "Yeah. It was my pleasure."

From the entrance to the room, someone sniggered. "Pathetic."

Weiss glanced up and saw the massive figure of Cardin blocking the light from the hallway, casting a shadowy veil across his face. "What do you want?"

"Oh I was just passing by… but then I heard a wimpy little thing yipping about in this room." Cardin approached Weiss slowly in his usual haughty swagger. "But who knew, I'd find the great Weiss Schnee sulking about, talking to herself."

"I'm not talking to myself."

"Oh suuure. You're talking to Ruuuby. If I was her, I'd be laughing at how pathetic you are, keeping miles away."

"That's not true!" Weiss glared at the hulk of meat. "Yang always tells me she's here and comparing her to you, it's obvious who I'd rather believe."

"Please. You're running from the truth. Ruby's dead Weiss. It's been over a month, get over it."

"YOU! How dare you!" Usually, Weiss would have had a roaring voice that could tear any opposition apart, but instead, she sounded weak and fragile like a cracked glass vase that had simply been glued back together.

Cardin chuckled crossing his arms, "You know of all the people in this god forsaken school, you used to be the one I had the most respect for. A girl who held her own. Now? Seeking safety in a bloody ghost? Laughable."

"You-" Weiss clenched her jaw, feeling tears fill her eyes. "Come on Ruby let's go." She bolted towards the exit, one hand behind her as if it were holding Ruby's hand.

Cardin outright burst into laughter, "HAHAHAHA! Ruby~ let's goo. I'm a weak piece of crap and I can't believe you're dead… I'm so sad … wah wah wah. HAHAHA! PATHETIC!"

====Ethereal====  
><em>Two girls sat hunched together over a small roaring fire. They silently watched the flame cackle and burn as the dry wood shrivelled to a crisp black. Ruby had draped her cloak over Weiss, wrapping them together in a little huddle and keeping in the little heat they had.<em>

_ "Thanks for the cloak." Weiss mumbled into her arm. _

_Ruby grinned, eyes still glued to the fire. "No problemo Weissy woo."_

_"Don't call me that."_

_"Why?"_

_"It's stupid."_

_"I'm pretty stupid, but you still like me~" _

_"What?! No I don't!"_

_"Fine then, I guess I'll take this cloak away." Ruby lifted her cloak off Weiss's shoulders, and instantly a blast of cold air struck the white haired Girl. Weiss quickly pulled Ruby's cloak back down, scooting closer to the madly smiling girl._

_"Heheh. See what I'm saying?"_

_"That doesn't mean I like you! It's cold!"_

_"Suuuure…"_

_Weiss groaned. "Imbecile."_

_Ruby continued her observation of the fire, and so did Weiss. But she wasn't looking at the fire, she was watching the dancing fire perform their frantic dance in Ruby's silver eyes. _

_"Aren't you the least worried Ruby?"_

_"Not at all. This is the half way mark remember? We're half way done. Tomorrow we'll be sleeping in our bunks and not out in this cold."_

_"I know… but I keep worrying that something bad will happen."_

_"Why? I've seen you take down a boarbatusk on your own. "_

_"I know but-"_

_Ruby hugged Weiss. "We'll be fine. Nothing's bad happened so far right? Chances are, nothing bad WILL happen."_

_"I just hoped someone else was here to help."_

_"Oh. Am I not good enough?"_

_"Well today, you ran off and put yourself in danger in the middle of a large pack of Beowulf."_

_"I took care of them didn't I?"_

_"Yeah… that's true. But what if you do it again, and what if this time it's a nevermore or even a deathstalker?"_

_"We've killed one before!" _

_"But not with just the two of us!" Weiss softly nudged a depressed looking Ruby. "Look. I'm simply stating the truth here. Just please don't leave me and run off to god knows where tomorrow. I'm worried about you."_

_Ruby's trade-mark grinned reappeared. "Awww… Weissy. You don't have to worry about me!"_

_"But I- I do.."_

_"Then I promise to stick with you the entire time." Ruby announced with a proud voice._

_"Thanks."_

_"Don't worry, we'll be back in Beacon soon enough. And besides, it's my _pleasure._"_

====Ethereal====

Dead leaves crunched under the groups feet, as they quickly made their way through the winding emerald forest. It had been a pretty eventless day. The three had taken off quite anxious, keeping their guard up, watching their surroundings very carefully, and noting any suspicious movement. But as the day dragged on, paranoia decreased and not even the sudden snapping of dead twigs raised their attention.

A couple of paces in front of Weiss, Yang and Blake was having some conversation that looked to be very … exciting. Yang was laughing and throwing imaginary punches, while Blake walked alongside nodding approval. Weiss observed contently from behind.

She paced behind her two teammates, hands held behind her back, enjoying the peace and quiet of the evergreen forest. Her face bore a placid smile, contempt by the serenity of her surroundings.

"It's really nice." Weiss mumbled to herself, "Like you once said, Ruby, its' nice to know that, as scary as anything seems, there's always something nice."

Weiss closed her eyes, but continued walking, recalling the memory of them lying by Ruby's pond. "It seems like it's been ages since we were at the pond. I wonder if we can find it again?"

Weiss chuckled, "Maybe on the way back."

Blake called back to Weiss, "Hey! We're almost at the apex of our trip and it's only a little past noon!"

Smiling, Weiss replied. "We might even make it back in one day!"

Yang gave a throaty laugh, while Blake smiled back.

"Guess, you won't be missing your favourite cookies tomorrow." Weiss glanced at a space next to her, imagining a glimmering figure of Ruby next to her. She imagined a young girl, skipping alongside, humming a ridiculous tune. She imagined short black hair bobbing up and down, as the girl swung her arms joyously forwards and backwards. "I'm sure you're happy about that."

Weiss sped up to a jog catching up to her teammates. "Come on Ruby, don't want to be left behind!"

====Ethereal====

The sun had already set below the tree line, yet the three continued to move forward, led by a determined Weiss. They were already more than 2 hours past conditional time to set up camp. It had become already too dark to forage for fire wood, the sky being lit solely by a half moon. They could barely see the ground in front of them as they walked, but still they pushed onwards.

"Are you sure we'll be able to make it back?" Blake asked, glancing nervously at the rising moon. "We should set up camp and just rest."

"No. We'll be back at Beacon soon." Weiss ensured.

"Weiss... I'm tired, Yang's tired … you're tired! If we continue like this we'll be running on nothing but fatigue."

"No, I'm sure we're almost there."

"Weiss! Stop!" Blake grasped Weiss arm, grinding her to a stop. "There's no way. Even if we could, it's risky. You know these woods are infested with Grimm. What if a pack of beowulf suddenly spring on us and it's pitch black? Not to mention how tired we are! We'd be dead!"

"But I promised Ruby she'd be getting cookies tomorrow."

Blake grabbed Weiss by both her shoulders. "Please, I'm sure Ruby would have understood the situation."

"What do you mean would have?"

"Sorry. I mean she understands."

"Blake. I know Ruby, and I'm certain she will not lay down and rest when there's cookies at stake." Weiss grinned delicately.

Blake glanced at the sky and the moon which had already risen high into the night sky. "Alright, we'll keep moving for another twenty minutes, and if we're still not there, we stop."

"Thanks."

"No problem. Yang let's speed it up."

Far behind them, came a low resounding moan. "Ugggghhh, I'm so tired."

"It's soon Yang, don't worry." Weiss comforted.

"It better be." The blonde, trudged through the dead leaves, cumbersomely trailing behind Weiss and Blake.

The two girls turned around, Weiss with her hands on her hips and Blake with her hands crossed. "The slower you are, the slower we get home."

"Ugggghhh." Like a zombie, Yang lumbered forward, her body bending forward and her arms dangling limp by her sides.

"I don't understand how this is your sister Ruby." Weiss sniggered. "How can someone so lazy be related to you."

"Hey! Now hold on a minute." Yang muttered, slightly tripping over her own feet.

"Yes?"

"You can't just- wait …" Yang eye's darted around them. "GET DOWN!" Yang's body snapped to attention, sprinting the last steps to Blake and Weiss, yanking the two into cover behind a line of trees and bushes.

'What is it?" Blake whispered.

"A pack." Yang replied, breathing heavily.

"What? Are you sure? Damn it. What now?"

"We take them out."

"Are you serious right now? This is a sight and flight mission!"

"Flight? I heard fight."

Blake sneaked a peak through the bushes, "There's much too many of them! And besides, weren't you the one who reminded us before we left?"

"Oh yeah? If you're going to run away, where are we going to go anyways? We're surrounded. I say we fight. We have the element of surprise!"

"No! We need to- "

"Weiss?"

The white haired girl, sat silently, legs tucked to her chin, as her body rocked back and forth. She was softly mumbling something herself, her lips moving unnoticeably in the pitch black night.

"Are you okay?"

_Gotta save Ruby, gotta save Ruby, gotta save Ruby_

"Weiss?" Yang tapped Weiss.

The girl suddenly jumped up, hands latching viciously onto the sides of Yang's face. "RUBY! Where is she! Is she safe? Tell me! Where's Ruby?"

"What? What do you mean? Ruby isn't-"

"She's fine!" Blake quickly interjected. "She's fine. She's right here with us."

Weiss's eyes were as big as the moon, flicking around, looking at empty space and then back to Blake. "She's alright? Is she really alright?"

"Yes. She's fine."

Weiss slumped back down, her hands letting go of Yang's head. "Good. Ruby's safe. That's good. Ruby's safe."

Rubbing her face, Yang moved away from the heiress, "Are you sure _you _are alright though?"

"Huh?" For some reason, whatever state Weiss was in, she snapped out of it. "Yeah, of course."

"But just now, you were…"

"Spit it out! We don't have time for this!" Weiss said, peeking over the bush at the Beowulf.

"Never mind."

"What's the plan guys?"

Simultaneously Weiss's teammates replied. "Wait." Said Blake. "Fight." Said Yang.

"So which is it?"

"You're team leader. It's up to you."

Weiss rose to a crouch slowly scanning the procession of the Beowulf. Although she could barely see anything in the dark, the glowing red eyes of the grimm lit up the night like fireworks. They could've easily been mistaken for a swarm of red fireflies. "There is certainly a lot…"

"So we wait?"

Weiss unsheathed Myrtyrnaster, "No. I've waited long enough to kill these ruthless grimm."

She turned to her team. "I will section them off with ice, and Yang I want you to take them out. Blake go for over watch and take down those you feel or getting around my ice. "

"Got it." Blake said swiftly jumping up onto a tree.

Yang cocked her gauntlets, smiling mischievously. "Is putting up ice, all you're doing? Aren't you going to fight?"

"Oh no. I'm going to slaughter them."

Weiss jumped out from the bush shot two walls of ice, sectioning off around 15 beowulf. The creatures reared up in surprise, crashing into each other, growling and slashing with their paws.

Suddenly, the light lit up like day, as Yang charged into the group butchering them easily with a couple swings of her fists. "YEEEEAAAAH! GOT'EM WEISS!"

Weiss dropped one of her ice walls, opening the gates to the rest of the pack. She could see Blake's silent and accurate strokes, dropping the beasts without them even realising. Weiss raised Myrternaster, switching the dial to red, she spun around slicing the air, sending a spear of fire roaring down the lane of Beowulf charging towards them. As the grimm scrambled away from the fiery ball of death, Weiss raised yet another wall of Ice, enclosing the panicked and shocked Beowulf. Yang charged in again, sending them to quick and explosive deaths.

It was smooth work from then on, Weiss sent a fireball, raised a wall, and then Yang would take them out. Blake would weed out the beasts from the outside, as the battle raged within the iced walls. Despite all the grimm they had killed, it seemed that more were swarming in from the forest. But caught in a killing frenzy, none of the team noticed the slowly but surely increasing amounts of glowing red eyes.

"WEISS! HAHAHA! WE GOT THIS!" Yang screamed ramming the face of a Beowulf, caving its skull and making its brain a soup of mushy glop.

"JUST HOLD TIGHT!" Weiss shouted, ducking under a swipe by a beowulf. She regained her footing, driving her rapier into the creature's side, puncturing its heart, killing it instantly. Without a moment's hesitation, she swept Myrternaster in an arc sending several bolts of ice careening to the approaching grimm. Each bolt, struck the black bodies of the beowulf, without any missing, ripping them in half, or pinning them to the ground. Bodies of grimm lay all around her, either with gaping holes in them from the bolts of ice, or cut in clean halves by her rapier.

"HAHAHAHAH!" Yang's hair had begun to glow bright red, her punches had seemingly gained an incendiary property, lighting the dead and deformed corpses to burst into flames, sending revolting smells of burning fur and flesh in their noses. Yet, the smile on their mouths never left. They could finally avenge Ruby.

Without warning, a thundering roar rebounded down the procession of Beowulf. Both and Weiss, looked towards the source. An enormous Ursa, stood on its hind legs poundings its chest. It dropped to its forelegs, with a resounding boom, then begun its charge of destruction. Shoving Beowulf away from itself and ripping trees from the ground, the Ursa bound towards the two girls.

Seeing it, Blake leapt from the trees, Gambol Shroud poised to strike, but was bat away with a mere raise of the Ursa's arm.

"WEISS! Give me a wall!" Yang demanded, beating away the Beowulf around her, as she reloaded her gaunlets.

_Ruby…. Ruby …._

"WEISS!" Yang eyes widened in terror as the Ursa approached close and closer. "WEISS!"

Next to her, Weiss fled, abandoning the fight, and ducking behind a tall tree.

"HELP!" Yang screamed as the Ursa rammed into her, knocking her far into the forest. The Ursa stood on its hind legs again, letting loose another deafening roar. Weiss dropped Myrternaster, squeezing her hands onto her ears, trying to block out the terrifying sound. Her entire body was trembling, as she tucked herself into as small a ball as she could.

"Ruby… Ruby …" Weiss's quivering voice mumbled to herself. "Where are you? Ruby, where are you?"

_Oh no… that Ursa couldn't have hurt you Ruby. You were doing so well. Don't go charging into a fight like that. I killed it, it couldn't have hurt you. You're fine. I killed it. I killed it. Please Ruby, open your eyes, and talk to me. Please. Just … I …_

Forcing her eyes to open, Weiss scanned the trees around her, deep into the forest, looking for any sign that Ruby was safe. Any sign to quell the burning desperation in her soul. There was nothing, but a wretched brown trees and an unknown darkness that led deep into the woods.

Weiss screamed into the air. "RUBY, RUBY! TALK TO ME PLEASE! WHERE DID YOU GO? RUBY!"

As if it were a dream, beside her, an airy light voice began to speak. "I'm right here. Weiss."

====Ethereal====

_Ruby was twirling in circles, arms stretched out, as she hummed a soft little tune matching the melodies of the birds around them. Her skirt spun with her, looking like a ballerina dancing in one of the ballets Weiss used to frequent with her parents. It seemed like Eden for Weiss. Birds were chirping, the trees were swaying, butterflies were flying, an angle was dancing and they were going back home. _

_"Da dee dee da!" Ruby pranced around Weiss, doing half split; that is making it only to a right angle. _

_"Ruby…" Weiss said sternly. "You must be forgetting something."_

_Ruby stopped, pouting, she trailed with her head down behind Weiss. _

_"Good." Weiss kept walking forward, but felt two hands grab her shoulders. At first she tried to just shrug them off, but they wouldn't budge. "Ruby? I'm serious. Let go."_

_"No Weiss. Be quiet."_

_"Oh? Now you're telling me to be qui-mmmfffgggg-" A hand clamped over Weiss's mouth. The infuriated girl spun around to teach Ruby a valuable lesson, but then she saw what Ruby had seen._

_In the distant, a sea of black and white crawled ominously towards them. It was obvious and without doubt, a pack of Beowulf. _

_Weiss removed Ruby's hand from her mouth. "Ruby… what we're going to do is hide in the trees to our left. Understand? There's too many."_

_Ruby turned to face Weiss, a playful on her face. "I got this."_

_"NO RUBY! THIS ISN'T GAME!" Weiss tried to grab the hood of Ruby's cloak as the younger girl rushed towards the encroaching blackness, but her attempt missed by a mile, Ruby disappearing into a cloud of roses._

_"RUBY!"_

_"CHAAAAAAAAARGE!" Ruby screamed in the distance, unsheathing Crescent Rose and firing two shots behind her. _

_Nearly being hit by the reckless sniper shots, Weiss stumbled forward, chasing after Ruby._

_"STOP!" Weiss shouted, but it was useless, Ruby was already in the midst of the pack, slashing and cutting all around. Weiss spawned a glyph beneath herself, speeding her movement, and trying to get to Ruby before something bad happened. Out of nowhere, a Beowulf leapt from the trees knocking Weiss into the dirt. She had only raised Myrternaster up to defend herself when the Beowulf pounced again. Luckily, she had just a fraction of a second to poise her sword arm, thrusting the tip of her rapier into the beast's heart. She pushed the creature of her, preparing to sprint to where Ruby stood in the heat of the battle. But right when she stood up, she realized the situation. The Beowulf she had just killed, belonged to a pack, a second pack. Seconds later more than twenty Beowulf surrounded Weiss, snarling and growling, waiting for a brave one to attack first. _

_To her right, a Beowulf howled and lunged at Weiss, who easily cut through the exposed chest area. It created a fountain of blood as the Beowulf fell still onto the ground next to her._

_Weiss gave a ghastly smiled, "Who's next?" _

_Apparently all of them. At once, the remaining Beowulf all attacked. With a sweep of her sword, Weiss surrounded herself with ring of ice that all the Beowulf instantly collided with, falling backwards onto their backs. Weiss smashed a hole in the ice. Leaping through, she sliced the two grim nearest to her, letting their gurgling halves fall with a painful splat on the ground. _

If only I was like Ruby, and they'd turn into Rose petals. _Weiss shook her feet, shaking off some of the Beowulf Blood that now tainted her white boots._ Whatever.

_Casting another glyph, she sped around in a wide circle, delivering calculated strikes against the broken ring of Beowulf, dropping one after another, and leaving barely any mark on them save a single precise hole that went through their heart and bodies. But that wasn't it. More and more grimm seeped from the woods. For every one she killed, four took their place. It was relentless. After preventing a third barrage of attacks, she was given just a couple seconds of breathing room. _

_She poised herself, preparing for another attack. Over the growling beasts around her, she could hear Ruby in the distance firing her sniper and slashing with her scythe. Rose petals seemed to form a hurricane from the amount of Beowulf Ruby had no doubt killed. Bloody idiot. Weiss thought as she looked at the drooling figures around her._ _We wouldn't be wasting our precious energy with these Grimm if she hadn't rushed into to fight. _

_Weiss glanced at Ruby, easily resisting another round of Beowulf_. Think you're so good? Wait till you meet a real challenge, then you'll know why you shouldn't charge into every battle.

_As if on cue, behind Ruby, a massive Ursa, larger than Weiss had every seen, erupted from the trees, ripping the trunks from their roots. _

_"Holy crap…" Weiss mumbled to herself, eyes wide._

_Smashing its own chest, it roared at the red girl in front of it, before slowly stalking Ruby, while the Beowulf kept her distracted. _

_"Ruby!" Weiss's eyes were glued to the girl in the distance, completely oblivious to the looming danger. _

_"Rub- aaaaghhh!" Behind her, a Beowulf had noticed Weiss temporary opening, and lunged. Weiss had barely any time to react, and only just in time cut the creature down before it killed her. But not without any damage. Its massive claws made a full slice on her abdomen, making blood seep through three gaping wounds. _

_Trying to get time to recover, Weiss quickly raised a wall in front of her stemming the barrage of Grimm. She clutched at her stomach, feeling the oozing blood leak between her fingers. _

_"Oh my god…" Weiss gasped, her brain beginning to feel light. She twisted her neck around to see if Ruby had noticed the Ursa. _

_"Stupid idiot. Come on! Notice the Ursa! What's wrong with you! Eurrgh." Weiss groaned, as she winced from the pain. Bending over, she clutched at her wound. "God this hurts." _

_Suddenly, the ice wall she had raised, smashed into small shards of ice as a wave of Grimm tore through the cracks. Weiss quickly dropped her hand, raising her sword again to fend for herself. But it was then. At that precise moment, that Weiss heard a screech. It was the loudest and most soul-wrenching scream she had ever heard. _

_"RUUUUUBY!" _

_Abandoning all attempts of defence, Weiss turned towards the source of the scream, sprinting towards Ruby and the Ursa. She could see Ruby stumbling around, arms struggling to reach a yawning gap in her back. Her arms flailed around herself, but without success. The bloody continue to flow, pooling on the ground around her. Without warning, the Ursa raised its paw, prepared to finish off the bleeding girl._

_"NOOO!" Weiss, jumped into the air, placing a glyph beneath her feet, she shot forward, Myrternaster pointed at the Ursa's paw. To focused on saving Ruby, Weiss failed to realise that the Ursa was actually countering her own charge. In a swift and vicious smack, the Ursa swept its paw towards Weiss, earning a loud cracking of bones, as it knocked her into the dirt._

_Weiss groaned, feeling the obvious broken rib shift around within her, piercing into her own flesh. Trying to get up, she winced, almost falling back down from the intense pain. Her vision was blurry, clouded by several clouds of red. She blinked several times, trying to locate where the Ursa stood. She did._

_It loomed over the still struggling form of Ruby, who was now kneeling on the ground, eyes white with fear and pain. And its paw was once again raised._

_"RUBY!" Weiss shouted at her partner to have her duck, run or anything that would save her. It was futile, as she watched Ruby take the full force of the Ursa. Ruby's body flew far from the Ursa only to tumble like a rag doll onto the ground. _

_Weiss's heart stopped, as she watched Ruby's body come to a stop. Her partner's silver eyes that always seemed to glitter and shine, was blank, gazing through a hazy veil at the setting sun. Her partner's arms that had been dancing and swaying less than an hour ago, lay limp by her sides. _

_Weiss breathing slowed to almost a standstill as she gazed back at the emotionless and merciless Ursa, smashing its chest like it had slain some foe, as if it had won a battle. _

_"I'll show you a fucking battle." Weiss spawned a glyph below her, shooting herself towards the Ursa. "YOU BLOODY BASTARD!"_

_Dodging the Ursa's attempt of self-defence, Weiss released a flurry of strokes, carving several long scars into the Ursa's side. _

_"YOU WILL NOT HURT RUBY!" Weiss screamed_

_It roared in pain, but swept its paw towards Weiss regardless, but powered by inane rage, Weiss easily flipped over it, attacking the Ursa with yet another barrage of slicing and cutting. _

_"YOU WILL NOT TOUCH RUBY!" _

_She rolled under the Ursa's legs, and leapt into the air._

_"YOU WILL DIE!" She plunged her rapier into the Ursa's back, piercing the heart, stopping the formerly powerful heart. The Ursa roared in pain as it began to fall limp onto the round, but Weiss was not finished._

_Screaming, Weiss sent several spears of ice shooting towards the Ursa, embedding themselves into the creature's body. The crystalline ice was painted in red blood, darkening its prior gem like form. Weiss hopped around the Ursa, letting Myrternaster release an Armageddon upon the monster. Fire balls, ice spears, lightning bolts all burned, pierced and struck the beast. Her rapier didn't leave it untouched either, slicing, cutting and slashing the already dead Ursa. As the fury exploded, Weiss threw Myrternaster at the Ursa, lodging it in its chest, as she jumped onto its tattered skull. She didn't care she was soaked in blood. She began to pound the Ursa's face with her fists. The more her fists bled from the impact, the harder her punches became until finally, she tore open the beats face, leaving only a bowl of gunk and red sloppy liquid. _

_Her hands were shaking, as she leaned back onto her feet. _You deserved it, you fucking asshole. _She thought as she looked at her own handiwork. Without a moment more to waste, she snapped back up, and walked slowly over to Ruby's body. The Beowulf that had clustered around the fight before had all but disappeared, even they fearing the anger in Weiss. Blood continued to leak from Weiss's wounds, but she pressed forward as wobbly and unstable as she was. _

_She collapsed next to Ruby, clasping the girl's face in her hands. She still felt warmth, not sure whether it was the blood on her hands or her, she gently called out to her partner. "Ruby?"_

_The Girl's eyes were cloudy, gazing emptily at something behind Weiss. _

_"Ruby?" Weiss shook Ruby gently, but her pupils merely rolled around in her sockets, the silver colour now a dull and matte grey. Weiss looked away and covered her face with a bloody sleeve, tears pooling in her own eyes. "I killed it. You're going to be fine."_

_"W-Weiss." A croaking voice said,_

_Weiss pulled Ruby, up to cradle her head in the arms. "You're going to be fine. I killed the Ursa."_

_"It- it hurts." Ruby winced._

_"It's going to be fine. We're going to be back in Beacon, and you're going to be healed up soon." Weiss sobbed, choking on her own words._

_Ruby forced herself to smile, "It's too late for me."_

_Weiss shook her head madly. "NO! No it's not!" _

_"I'm sorry."_

_"NO! You're not sorry! You're fine!"_

_"I'm sorry for not thinking… for rushing into the battle."_

_"I don't care! I don't need you to think, I don't need to be smart, right now … I- I just want you to live!"_

_"Please. It hurts too much." Ruby flashed a glance at Crescent Rose lying a little distance away. "Please."_

_"What… no! Absolutely not!"_

_"Please… I-"_

_"I- I can't!"_

_"The- the pain."_

_Weiss hugged Ruby closer to her chest. "No, no, no, no, no, no. You're going to live. We're going to live."_

_"I'm sorry. I-"_

_"Just rest Ruby." Tears crawled down Weiss's cheek. "The next time you wake up, you'll be in your bed. Yang will be there, Blake will be there, Jaune, Pyrrha, Nora, Ren… and … I'll be right there next to you."_

_"You're hurt." Ruby mumbled, looking intensely at Weiss's tattered clothes_

_"I don't care. Right now, I need you to be safe."_

_Ruby gave Weiss a small grin, and closed her eyes._

_"Ok. Weiss. Don't worry about me."_

_Weiss pulled Ruby closer to herself, letting Ruby's head rest on her shoulder. _

_"It's going to be alright."_

====Ethereal====

"RUUUBY!"

Weiss clambered onto her knees, eyes wide at the ghostly figure in front of her.

"I- Are you safe? Are you alright?" Weiss reached out to touch the translucent figure, but her fingers curled back, hesitant of what she would feel or even worse, what she wouldn't.

"I'm fine Weiss." Ruby grinned.

After more than a month of not seeing Ruby's ever so common smile that had filled her life before. It was almost fatal, to see it so suddenly afterwards. Weiss slumped back against the hard tree, face in her hands, crying madly.

"Please don't cry…" Ruby hovered closer. "Come on… look at me."

"I can't." Weiss cried. "I killed you. Yang I was always right. I'm a murderer."

"No. It's my fault, I was the one who-"

"NO! You're wrong! I- I let them do something to you at the hospital. I- I made you suffer in your last moments. I could've waited for Blake, I could've waited for Yang, but I- it was your only chance and I-"

Ruby, glided next to Weiss, trying to put an arm around her. She kept her arm hovering above Weiss's shoulders for a second, but as soon as she relaxed, it fell straight through Weiss. "No, Weiss. That's exactly why it's never your fault. You tried to save me. The whole time you have known me you have tried to help me. In your own angry way, but everything you have ever done was for me. No matter how many times I draw something stupid for you, no matter how good a grade I get, I know there's no way to repay what you've done for me."

"Then why was I the only one unable to see you."

Ruby's gaze was downcast. "Because I was scared. I thought you would yell at me. I thought you would hate me for everything I've put you through."

"I would never hate you! It's impossible! You were the star of the school. You were friends with everyone. You were nice to everyone. _Everyone_ loved Ruby rose."

Ruby leaned towards Weiss's ear and with a breathy voice whispered, "Everyone but you."

Weiss's eyes met the sincere and faint eyes of Ruby, as she began to cry.

"Oh no, no. That's not the reaction I wanted." Ruby waved her arms frantically.

"I'm sorry… I don't know how to – "

"To what?"

"I- " Weiss face became blood red. "I've always loved you! Alright? From the day we became partners, I've never stopped. I denied it, cursed it, and locked it away, but it was there. It was always there."

In front of her, Ruby's body began to shimmer, as her skin regained colour. Weiss could feel Ruby's warmth now. She could feel Ruby's arm around her neck, her hand holding hers, her leg leaning against hers.

"R-Ruby?" Weiss was startled, "Are you alive?"

"No. But I can feel now. I can feel…"

Weiss pulled Ruby onto herself, closing the distance between their lips. It was simple, and short. Realising her impulsive actions, Weiss pushed Ruby away, utterly ashamed of her own actions. Her blue eyes were riddled with fear as she looked at the confused face of Ruby.

"Weiss…"

"Please." She sniffled.

Weiss reached into a small concealed pocket, producing a worn red cloth. She motioned for Ruby's hand, which she delicately took in her own. She placed the fabric in Ruby's palm, and closed her fist.

"Promise me. Where ever you are. Whether you're with me, or somewhere else, never forget me. "

"Weiss. You don't get it." Ruby grinned, "My business on this world is complete. I know that you love me and now I'm at peace."

"What? I don't understand."

"I'm going to heaven. I'm going to finally rest." Ruby's body begun to shimmer again, but this time it was golden and not a dull grey outline. Her contours flashed with yellow light, as she rose higher from the ground.

"NO!" Weiss grabbed at Ruby's hand, but she merely passed through, feeling nothing but air. "NOOOOO! RUBY! DON'T LEAVE ME NOW!"

Weiss reached for Ruby, something to hold onto. A hand, a collar, a bunch of hair, anything she could possibly grab. Anything that would bring Ruby back to her, but her hand always passed through Ruby's slowly disappearing body.

"I'm going to rest Weiss. It's been a long time."

"NOOOO! YOU CAN'T! WHO WILL I TALK TO? WHO WILL I BUY COOKIES FOR ON WEDNESDAYS? WHO WILL I FIND TO COMFORT ME?"

"Don't worry Weiss, I'll always be watching…"

"COME BACK! PLEASE! HOW CAN YOU LEAVE ME LIKE THIS? WE FINALLY SEE EACH OTHER AGAIN, AND YOU JUST LEAVE? I NEED YOU RUBY! I DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE A GHOST!"

"I'll always be watching…"

"RUUBY!"

"Always watching you."

And Ruby was gone. The forest was dark again, with not a hint of her existence remained. The only thing that was left behind, was a lone piece of red cloth, lying in the grass, forgotten. Weiss picked it, scrunching it painfully into her fist.

"RUUUUBY! COME BACK!" Weiss screamed into the air.

====Ethereal====

Weiss emerged from the woods to where the battle between Yang and Blake vs grimm continued to rage on. The two girls splattered with blood were fighting back to back fending off wave after wave of Beowulf.

"OI WEISS!" Yang gestured for Weiss to go over there. "WHAT WERE YOU DOING? WE COULD REALLY DO WITH SOME SNOW PRINCESS JUSTICE!"

Weiss gazed emotionless at the dead grimm around her, and the flaming eyes of Yang Xiao Long.

"No."

"WHAT?"

Weiss slowly unsheathed Myrternaster with a long resounding metallic ring, drawn from her side.

"I'm going to find Ruby."

"Wait… what? NO! WEISS!"

Weiss raised her rapier directly in front of her, the viciously sharp point, hovering just above her heart. On the hilt of the blade, she had wrapped the scrap of red cloth. And now clutching it with trembling hands, she closed her eyes.

_Ruby, I'm coming with you._

"NOOOO! WEISS!" She heard Yang shout.

She swiftly brought the blade through her chest, feeling it strike through and out in one clean stab. As her head grew light, she could hear Yang and Blake screaming, running towards where Weiss stood. She could hear the howls of Beowulf as the moved in to attack. She could hear the whistle through the trees. She could hear the silent rippling of a pond. She could hear the sound of a sniper rifle. She could hear the sweet laughter of a girl.

Then suddenly it stopped. All the sound stopped.

Weiss found herself in the dark recesses of a tunnel. Behind her, was darkness that led to somewhere. Down into the cavernous depth, she could marginally hear a girl's laughter, and a strangely familiar humming. She wanted to walk towards, to walk towards that melodic voice, but in front of her, far off in the distance was a small speck of light. Despite its size, it gave a fiery bright light drawing Weiss in like a moth to a flame.

She began to walk towards the light, each foot step resounding off the dark ground like a steady heartbeat. But the closer she got to the light, the louder a sound became. She hadn't noticed it before, but it thrummed irrationally and continually.

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

====Ethereal====

**A/N**

***UPDATE* is this what you'd consider small update? Anyways, I'll release the ending in a separate chapter in a few days, but enjoy the cough foreshadowing cough. I have a cold. My bad. Hope you enjoyed, albeit this being pretty much the exact same story. Oh well, Thanks for reading! *UPDATE***

**Yeah. So terribly sorry for the delay, breaking yet another of my promised times of update. I tried to sneak upstairs and get my laptop, but my mom caught me twice, extending the period that she kept my laptop. That's my fault. Sorry. **

**Anyways. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! I don't care if you don't favourite or follow really, but PLEASE REVIEW! IT IS BY FAR THE MOST IMPORTANT THING OF ALL! If you liked it, great. If you didn't, great. Just write something. You get my drift here? **

**THANK YOU KIND SOULS FOR READING! I HOPE YOU ENJOYED!**

**ExGuard123**


	3. Part 3: End

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

Weiss opened her still murky eyes to a hazy white ceiling. She was lying in a bed, tucked into a pure white cover. Machines surrounded her beeping, and ticking.

"What…" Weiss groaned. "Happened…"

She squeezed her eyes shut, rubbing her face with her hands. She felt a light prick on the back of her hand, and saw a tube stuck into it, steadily dripping some sort of clear liquid.

_What the hell is going on?_

"WEISS?" A loud voice rang in the room.

Weiss jumped up in bed, retreating towards the wall behind her as a flurry of golden hair clouded her vision. "You're finally up!"

Yang leaned over Weiss, eyes glued intently on her. Weiss shook her head, rubbing her eyes. "Yang?"

"OI BLAKE!" Yang, turned around kicking the leg of a chair behind her, rousing Blake up. "Get up!"

Weiss shook her head, utterly confused about what was happening. _What the hell is? Where's Ru.._

"Oh my god." Weiss muttered. _OH GOD! This isn't heaven? I'm alive? My suicide didn't' work… then that means…. I'm not with Ruby…_

"Hey Weiss." Blake said lazily.

Blake and Yang stood to her bedside, standing at attention. Yang was smiling, and Blake was as calm as ever. But there was no Ruby.

Weiss looked away from her teammates, tears brimming in her eyes. _What am I going to do? I ditched my team by attempting suicide. How can I be team leader? _ "I'm so sorry. I- I wasn't thinking clearly when I did it."

Yang scrunched her eyebrows together. "Did what?"

Weiss choked on a lump in her throat. "You guys were having trouble with the Grimm. I saw it and I did it anyways. GOD DAMN IT! It was the same with Ruby! I could've helped, but I just ignored it."

"What are you talking about?" The two girls asked in vexed unison.

"I … " Weiss's mind went back to the forest. The thin blade of Myrternaster hovered in front of her, glinting in the sun, as Yang and Blake ran towards her screaming for her to stop. At the time, her rapier looked like her savior, her penance, and her guide. A guiding light that would take her to Ruby and to peace. "I tried to kill myself."

"WHAT?" Yang screamed. "No way! Blake was here the whole time!"

"I st-stabbed myself." Weiss recounted with trembling voice.

"Yang's right. I was here the whole time. No way could you have done anything like that. Besides, the doctors found no stab wounds." Blake said.

Now it was Weiss who was riddled with confusion. She looked down at her chest, pulling down the loose hospital clothes. Her skin was flawless as ever. No bandaging or horrifying scar to remind her of a suicide attempt. The only bandaging she could see was around her abdomen, which was somewhat stained pink. _Was this some twisted dream? _

Looking back up at Yang, Weiss demanded. "What's the date?" "

"Huh? Why would you-"

"WHAT IS THE DATE?"

Yang glanced at Blake, who remained composed and emotionless. "It's –uh- it's April the- the 5th."

_How could this be… It's the day after Ruby … after Ruby left…_

"Is something wrong?" Blake asked.

Weiss's breathing picked up, as her heat began to pump viciously within her. She grabbed Yang's hand firmly, looking dead into the blonde girl's eyes. "Where's Ruby?"

"Sh- She's in the other room."

Weiss felt her heart momentarily stop. She let go of Yang's hand, clutching at her chest, feeling an intense throbbing pain. _Ruby's alive. Ruby's alive. _

"Weiss!" Yang reached for Weiss, but she bat her hand away.

"Where's Ruby?" Weiss repeated.

"She's fine Weiss, just recovering from yesterday."

"WHERE IS RUBY?" Weiss screamed.

"I was with her just now. She's fine."

"WHERE IS SHE!?"

Yang's eyes widened in fear, stepping back from the bed.

Weiss shifted to the side of the bed, swinging her legs onto the ground and yanking the tube out of her hand.

"Weiss what are you doing!"

The white haired girl stumbled to the ground, barely catching herself as her weak legs struggled to support her weight.

"Weiss! You've lost too much blood. You need to rest!" Yang scrambled towards her.

"Just take me to Ruby!"

"But-"

"DO IT!"

Yang slung Weiss's arm over her shoulder as Blake hurried to do likewise. Yang led the group to the door, swinging it open and into the busy Beacon hospital hallways. They walked slowly down a long trek, as white coated ghosts floated around them. It was filled with rambling noise, hospital pagers beeping, doctors talking, stretchers being rushing down corridors, and loud obnoxious footsteps of the doctors.

_Ruby's alive… _Weiss's head felt woozy, as the blood filled her head. "Ugh." She groaned.

"Do you need to rest?"

"No. Just keep going."

Weiss fought against the will to just lie down and let her body rest, knowing just one mission. To get to Ruby. To know that she was safe.

"This room." Yang opened it with one hand and led Weiss in. "Do you need-"

Weiss shut the door behind her and locked it, leaving Yang and Blake standing confused outside.

It was quiet now.

Just Ruby, Weiss and guilt.

It was a room similar to Weiss's. Everything was a colorful white. A large window gazing out onto the Beacon campus. A white shelf leaned against one wall. A white heart monitor beeped steadily next to a white bed, covered by white blankets. And under them. The still form of Ruby Rose.

"Ruby…" Weiss sobbed. She slowly walked towards her partner, each foot testing the ground before stepping forward, hesitant about the reality of the situation. Her arms were outstretched towards Ruby lying calmly in the bed, hands clasped together at her chest.

Weiss gently sat down next to Ruby. With a trembling hand she gingerly brushed a loose hair from Ruby's face, tucking it behind her ear. Her finger tips, traced Ruby's soft skin. _You're real. _Tears were rolling freely down her cheeks, as she gazed upon the face of her angel.

She collapsed onto Ruby, face snuggled in Ruby's chest. Her hand interlocked with grabbed Ruby's, squeezing tightly and feeling the warmth she had thought she'd never feel again. "Ruby … I thought you were dead."

"I'm so sorry. I could've prevented all of this." Weiss snuggled the side of her face into Ruby, smothering herself in Ruby's aura. "I promise to never let you be hurt again."

"Haha. I'm not dying that easily." Sang an angel.

At that, Weiss whimpered. "Oh god. I'm so sorry Ruby. I'm so sorry." Weiss squeezed Ruby's hand, refusing to let go. "Please don't leave me. I want to be your partner. I'm so sorry for doing this to you."

Ruby lightly tipped Weiss's head upwards, but the white haired girl looked away. "What's wrong?"

"I made you suffer. None of this would've happened, if I'd just-"

"If you just what? Saved me? Protected me?" Ruby cupped Weiss's face in her hands, bring the white haired girl as close as she could to her own face. Yet, Weiss refused to look back at her. "You did all that. I'm safe."

Weiss dipped her head even lower and further away. "I still feel like I could've done more."

Letting go of Weiss's face, Ruby thread her arms through Weiss's, and pulled the weeping girl into a wholehearted embrace. "We're alright. That's what's important."

"What's important is that you're alright. I don't care if I'm cut to shreds or torn to bits, I … I just need _you_ to be safe." Weiss mumbled into Ruby's neck.

Ruby grinned to herself. "I know."

Weiss hesitated, but gave Ruby an unnoticeable kiss on her neck.

"I love you." She whispered, wincing, those words feeling foreign to her mouth. She'd said it to ghost Ruby, in her messed up dream. But that was ghost Ruby who didn't exist right now. Even then, it was Ruby who said it first.

Ruby giggled. "That's weird."

Weiss pushed up from Ruby, hands on her shoulders, finally looking back into Ruby's silvery eyes. "What?"

"I had this dream." Ruby smiled. "And you told me you loved me."

Weiss's face quickly reddened; ducking, she let her loose white hair cover her blushing cheeks.

"Funny thing was." Ruby continued, clasping her hands around Weiss's neck. Closing her eyes, she carefully leaned closer and closer to Weiss. She let her lip gently graze Weiss's, sending shivers coursing up her partner's spine.

"I was a ghost."

====Ethereal====

**A/N**

**FINISHED! WOO! It's the first story to ever be finished by me. I hoped this ending was to your liking and you enjoyed the story. I was thinking about ending it in heaven and Weiss finally meets Ruby yada yada, but this way, everyone is happy! Yang and Blake included. Yeah, again, hoped you guys liked it. I'm going to go back to writing Economy now, so if you want to check that out. I've got another idea for an AU, but that's not going to start soon, since I feel like I'd just be pushing Economy off again. **

**REVIEW OF COURSE! I really don't care if you don't favourite, ****or follow. REVIEWS ARE WAY MORE IMPORTANT! HELPS ME WRITE BETTER AND IMPROVE! AND MOST OF ALL, THANK YOU ALL FOR READING!**

**PS. The kissing in this story is pretty sucky. Heh. Mostly, I don't know how to describe it because of lack of … experience? Eh. If anyone has tips to help with that, I'd gladly accept. Thanks. **


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